The Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) held its 2026 World Oceans Day event in Kaohsiung on Sunday, June 7. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) stated in his address that this year marks the first Oceans Day since the implementation of the Marine Conservation Act. He expressed his appreciation for Coast Guard personnel, who have long protected national maritime security and marine resources, allowing people to live and work with the ocean in peace.

Cho underscored that an important task of the OAC is conservation, saying that the Cabinet recently proposed establishing a national-level microplastic monitoring and defense line. He said he hopes to improve marine governance for microplastic source reduction, scientific detection, recycling, marine debris cleanup, and international cooperation, fulfilling our responsibility to the next generation.

The premier said that the OAC will continue to deepen conservation and pollution prevention work. He also stated that the OAC has been promoting the concept of an "integrated sea and air elite patrol force" in recent years, continuously improving its capabilities through the use of unmanned vehicles, smart monitoring, and other equipment. 

Cho emphasized that Taiwan is already a crucial core of global technological and economic development, and plays a key role in geopolitics and peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. He said that the Coast Guard must become the frontline force protecting social security and the lives and property of its citizens. He said that the government will continue to promote patrol forces, strengthen anti-gang, anti-drug, and marine conservation efforts, and enhance maritime security and national resilience.

Designated by the UN, June 8 is World Oceans Day, this year themed "Reimagine."